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Commission for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS)

Commission for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS)

The Commission for Atmospheric Sciences supports research in atmospheric science through the Global Atmospheric Watch and World Weather Research Programmes in order to reduce and mitigate natural disasters, protect the environment and enhance understanding and response to environmental change.

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About

The mission of the Commission for Atmospheric Sciences is to support research in atmospheric science in order to reduce and mitigate disasters related to natural hazards, protect the environment and enhance understanding and response to environmental change.

More specifically, the Commission, through the World Weather Research Programme and the Global Atmospheric Watch programme, develops the Numerical Weather Prediction capabilities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and partners; implements Integrated Global Atmospheric Chemistry Observations (IGACO), thereby contributing to the WMO Integrated Global Observations System; and supports atmospheric science, services and products related to international conventions.

Terms of Reference

The specific objectives of the Commission:

To identify the requirements of Members in the area of atmospheric sciences, including those related to support of environmental and climate conventions, and to facilitate the transfer of knowledge, technologies and advice in that area;

To support and facilitate research in atmospheric and related sciences to advance the understanding and prediction of atmospheric processes within the broader Earth system, with emphasis on the following:

Weather, climate, water and related environmental analysis and prediction for timescales ranging from minutes to seasons to multidecadal, embracing new developments in environmental prediction;

Refining the end-to-end prediction process so as to improve the forecasting of high impact events associated with serious consequences for populations and economies;

Atmospheric composition and air pollution, their interaction with weather and climate, studies of transport, transformation, deposition and impacts of air pollutants and related monitoring;

The physics and chemistry of clouds, greenhouse gases, ozone and aerosols;

Weather modification science assessment with emphasis on the underlying physical and chemical processes and the develop- ment of rigorous evaluation procedures;

Processes in tropical and polar regions where the lack of under- standing has large impacts on global predictive skill;

To maintain and develop the Global Atmosphere Watch Programme using an integrated approach to observations and research, focusing on greenhouse gases, atmospheric chemistry and air quality, contributing to scientific assessments in support of international environmental and climate conventions and policies;

To maintain and develop the World Weather Research Programme, focusing on knowledge of high-impact weather and partnerships in multidisciplinary research advancing the broader science of environmental prediction;

In accordance with the WMO Strategic Plan, to coordinate the activities of the Commission with relevant WMO bodies and promote cooperation between Members, international scientific organizations, environmental institutions and other scientific groups;

To support and facilitate the effective transfer of advances made by atmospheric science research to reduce the societal impact of weather, climate and pollution on societies, economies and ecosystems; and

To conduct scientific assessments in atmospheric science as required by Members or by the delivery of the science programmes of the Commission.